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The mystical realm of Asgard has known peace for many years under the leadership of King Odin. As his two sons reach maturity, the eldest, Thor is in line for the throne but on the day of his coronation his arrogance and carelessness bring about war once again and for this, heís banished to Earth where he must learn from his mistakes the hard way.

IS IT A GOOD MOVIE?

THOR was always going to be a tough jump from comic/animated film to the big screen and for this reason itís taken this long for it happen. Thankfully we live in a day and age where the impossible can be brought to life in wondrous detail. First off, I have to say that THOR was a triumph to behold on so many levels (except for the 3D which was totally useless). Asgard was gorgeous; a dead ringer to how Iíd envisioned it in my head. The rainbow bridge was cool as hell as was the gate that warped them between realms. After watching the trailers there were those who scoffed at the costumes, saying they looked a bit too plastic and were way too clean for warriors. I personally thought the costumes were fine, yes they did look a bit clean but hey, theyíre gods for Christ sake and they were at peace so how dirty could their armour possible get anyway?

The story was hit and miss for me. I know itís an origin story and all but I hated the fact that we see Thor bumbling around Earth like a lost puppy for the bulk of the film. I understand why it had to be that way and Iím not totally against it, I guess itís just that I wanted to see him kicking ass and taking names like he was in the beginning. Now that said I suppose thatís why the second chapter of most comic book seriesí are better because the heroís been established and we simply jump into the action so all in all I canít complain about it because I know it had to be this way. As for the origin story though, it fell short of some of Marvelís other first instalments, namely IRON MAN, which to me was the best origin story comic book film to date. This one had its moments, there was comic relief, action and phenomenal effects but I did feel like the pace dragged a bit here and there. Nothing major but it was noticeable.

As far as the acting was concerned Hemsworth is a fantastic Thor, he brought the God of Thunder to life in an awesome way. Anthony Hopkins was perfect as Odin and Tom Hiddleston was also cool as Loki, though Iíd have loved to see what Josh Hartnett (who was originally rumoured to play the God of Mischief) wouldíve brought to the table. Natalie Portman played a good enough damsel in distress and I dug Idris Elbaís small but memorable role as Heimdall. Another debate came in the form of Kat Dennings, whose attempts at comic relief were either funny or terrible. To sum it up simply, sheís that one annoying friend that every girlfriend has, the one who always has something to say and has you wanting to bury her in the backyard long before the nightís over. Oh, and I love Jeremy Renner as Hawkeye, he feels like a perfect fit to me and though his cameo is brief, itís still pretty damn sweet.

THOR definitely brings the thunder when it comes to Marvel adaptions but clearly isnít perfect. One of the major problems this character faces is the same one that HULK and SUPERMAN (for example) face. These characters (Thor especially because heís a God) are larger than life and nearly impossible to kill. At no point did I feel that Thor was in any real danger. I mean Jesus, he could've single-handedly destroyed all those frost giants himself (who looked badass by the way), and pretty much manhandled Loki as well as everyone else in his path. I mean how the hell do you create a villain to oppose the God of Thunder? And as far as Thor and Loki go, well, we donít get nearly as much from them pitted against one another as we should have gotten, I personally was hoping for more in that regard. I was also a bit disappointed as Iíd heard that the Infinite Gauntlet would be in the film but if it was, I missed it. I enjoyed the S.H.E.I.L.D boys, theyíre always fun and of course like all Marvel flicks, be sure to stay tuned for an extra scene after the credits roll, youíll be glad to you did.

THE EXTRAS

Commentary: Director Kenneth Branagh gives a great commentary, one of the better ones I've heard in awhile from a director. The actor/director approach adds miles to any film in my opinion and I can see why Chris Hemsworth was upset to hear Branagh wasn't returning to direct the sequel. I don't blame him for being bummed, because after this stellar display of directing, I'm a little sad to see him gone as well.

Marvel One-Shot: The Consultant: This was one of the most buzzed about features for THOR's DVD/BLU-RAY release (at least from my point of view). One part AVENGERS fuel, one part character glue and a chance for our lovable S.H.E.I.L.D operative to shine a bit brighter. Personally I loved it and hope they keep em coming.

Featurettes: There are about seven short featurettes here that tackle wardrobe, fighting, weapons, special effects and the camaraderie between talented co-stars. They're brief, but good fun. I personally loved the ode to Anthony Hopkins and his ability to better any role with his vast experience. Him being cast as Odin was enough to sell me on this film.

Road to The Avengers: Most of this revolves around Comic Con footage and the small tidbits found at the end of certain Marvel films, as well as the array of bits dropped into to each feature film. I don't mind a little AVENGERS seasoning in my movie, and for the most part, it worked. The Black Widow stuff in IRON MAN 2 felt a bit forced and I'm still on the fence about Renner's last minute Hawkeye insertion as well, cool as it may be. That said, when Chris Evans admitted to signing on for three AVENGERS films, it put a huge smile on my face.

Deleted Scenes: There wasn't a whole lot here, but of the mix, one stood out most and that was the scene with Thor and Loki before Thor walks out to be crowned King. I can see why they stripped it, as the brotherly relationship they appear to have would have conflicted with the tone the film was trying to set, after all, you can't have it both ways, but they're still cool to see.

Previews: There's a slew of trailers, some BD-LIVE content, a DVD Copy, Digital Copy as well as a 3D Blu-Ray Copy of the film. But before you get too excited about it though, you'll need a 3D TV, 3D Blu-Ray player and the pimpin 3D specs to enjoy it. Still, four versions of the film in one package is still pretty cool.

FINAL DIAGNOSIS

This was definitely a super hero summer and when it comes down to X-MEN: FIRST CLASS, THOR, CAPTAIN AMERICA and GREEN LANTERN, I have to say THOR was my second favourite (behind X-MEN). That said, I dug what Cap brought to the table and thought (despite what most felt) GREEN LANTERN was a fun ride as well. Nothing will compare to THE AVENGERS though...or so we're all hoping.

I actually had a great time with Thor. My nephew also enjoyed the movie a lot. Blu Ray disc is top notch especially in the audio department. I guess Kat Dennings there was to make the movie a bit not too serious and teens to relate to or whatever. The movie was a blast and much better than I expected.

I actually had a great time with Thor. My nephew also enjoyed the movie a lot. Blu Ray disc is top notch especially in the audio department. I guess Kat Dennings there was to make the movie a bit not too serious and teens to relate to or whatever. The movie was a blast and much better than I expected.

*SHIELD

Not "SHEILD"
Also, I thought Natalie Portman and her whole plotline really took away from the film. He's the freakin' God of Thunder like you say, and then there's that whole dialogue between he and Loki at the end: "You're thinking about that GIRL, aren't you??" Can't see what Thor sees in her, and because that's apparently somewhat of a cornerstone, her role really undermines the rest of the film and keeps it from being truly fun.

Not "SHEILD"
Also, I thought Natalie Portman and her whole plotline really took away from the film. He's the freakin' God of Thunder like you say, and then there's that whole dialogue between he and Loki at the end: "You're thinking about that GIRL, aren't you??" Can't see what Thor sees in her, and because that's apparently somewhat of a cornerstone, her role really undermines the rest of the film and keeps it from being truly fun.